Harry Redknapp and Tim Sherwood have warned Tottenham Hotspur should fear relegation from the Premier League more than West Ham.
West Ham and bitter rivals Spurs are in what now looks to be a four-team battle to avoid filling the Premier League’s final relegation place.
With Burnley and Wolves all but down, the Hammers, Tottenham, Nottingham Forest and Leeds are in a dogfight to survive.
Nuno Espirito Santo’s West Ham currently sit in 18th place, two points off Forest in 17th and four points off Tottenham in 16th.
Spurs in trouble as West Ham rise claim Redknapp and Sherwood
Despite statistics showing Spurs are the worst team in the top flight this year, their chances of actually being relegated have been downplayed by most.
Except Tim Sherwood and Harry Redknapp.
Oh no, Mo… 🤣
How will YOU celebrate if Tottenham go down? 🎉 🍾
Ex Hammers player and manager Redknapp has pulled no punches in his assessment of the situation.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Redknapp admitted he wanted the chance to return to Spurs as interim boss for the rest of the season.
MORE WEST HAM STORIES
He wants West Ham and Tottenham to stay up given his divided loyalties to both.
West Ham can benefit as Redknapp warns of ‘big Spurs gamble’
But he says Tottenham have taken a huge gamble which may backfire in West Ham’s favour by appointing Igor Tudor.
“They’ve (Spurs) brought somebody in haven’t they but nobody knew him,” Redknapp said on Sky Sports.
“He’s had lots of jobs and been around the block a bit but never managed in England, the guy Tudor, so it’s a big gamble.
“It’s a great job for somebody for next year, if they go down they’ll come back up, they could (go down), I think they’ll be alright but I’ve got a foot in both camps with West Ham, I want them to stay up as well so I’m hoping that both teams stay up.
“But then that leaves Nottingham Forest, who are a great club. But one of the three of them are going to go, I don’t see anybody else.”
How do YOU look back on Jermain Defoe?
Did he ruin his legacy?
Former Tottenham player and manager Sherwood went one further than Redknapp, pointing out that West Ham are a team on the up while Tottenham are in freefall.
While Sherwood said Spurs have an advantage because they have points in the bag over the Hammers, he believes Tottenham simply don’t have the players for a relegation scrap.
Sherwood: Organised West Ham have more fight than Tottenham
“They’re (Tottenham) in a fight now,” Sherwood said on Sky Sports News.
“And have they got enough fight in their bellies, the same as them other sides as we’re seeing?
“I certainly have been watching recently West Ham, who are in the worst position out of everyone because they’re in it, they look like they’ve got some organisation and they’ve got some real fight in their bellies.
“The next two games are going to be so crucial for Tottenham… they need to get points and they need to get them quick.
“Because if they really get into trouble and West Ham start picking up points and they get right behind them (in the table), I’m not sure they’ve got the players for the fight, I don’t really believe they have.
“Because a lot of players come to Tottenham not for a relegation battle, so they’re going to have to find something from somewhere. I believed they would have enough but I think it’s probably my heart ruling my head there.”
Remaining fixtures in the Premier League relegation battle: